Something in the Woods

Chapter 14

The bell rang to end the day, Katie made her way through the crowd of kids to leave. As she headed towards her bus, a hand grabbed her shoulder. 
"Glad I caught up to you!" Byssa said out of breath. "I got a surprise for you!" 
"What is it?" 
A smile spread across her face. "It's at my place!" 
"Your place?" Katie took a step back. Byssa had never invited Katie to her house before, not that Katie ever asked to go over. She enjoyed the friendship she had with her, but Katie never thought their bond would advance to the next level. "But weren't we supposed to meet up with Barrett today?" 
"Don't worry, it'll be quick I promise!" She reassured. 
Katie thought about her offer for a moment. "Well, as long as it's quick." 
Byssa smiled and quickly took her hand. "Great, come one!"
~~~~ 
It was a fifteen minute walk to the neighborhood. Katie noticed that all of the houses were duplex homes that were identically painted in dullish gray color. She would have never expected her more eccentric dressed friend to live in a place that looked so boring. 
"Here we are!" Byssa stopped at a house. Nearly identical from all the other duplexes, but there was an American flag flying above the garage. The two girls walked in the house and were immediately greeted with the scent of garlic in the air. 
"I'm home!" Byssa shouted as she kicked her combat boots off by an old wooden shoebox. "Just leave your shoes here, my brother is a bit fussy when it comes to our carpets. 
Katie nodded and took off her old sneakers, then followed her friend into her house. Immediately, Katie noticed the carpet. It was soft and white, as if it was brand new. They entered the living room where a large gray couch sat against a beige wall. Across from it was a flat screen TV. But the most interesting thing Katie noticed was how bare the walls seemed. She didn't notice a single picture that was hung up.
"Hey Bys," A male voice called out from the kitchen. "I have to go to work early today. So I'm making dinner a little early." 
"That's fine, I brought Katie." 
A young dark skinned man popped out of the kitchen dressed in muscle shirt and camouflage pants. He was slim but he was buff. His black hair was trimmed in a short professional look for the military, but he had a tattoo of a bear head fiercely baring his teeth. "Oh hello." He smiled warmly and extended his hand out to Katie to shake. She took it and she noted that he had a firm handshake. "I'm Tymere, Byssa's told me everything about you!"
"No I haven't!" Byssa protested. 
"Really?" 
"Tymere is making it sound like I talk about you all the time." She crossed her arms. 
"There's nothing wrong with gushing over your friends." 
"I just don't want anyone to get the wrong idea."
Katie couldn't help but smile at her friend for talking about her. No one has ever liked her enough to even mention her to their family.  "Well, I appreciate it." 
~~~~~
Spaghetti and meatballs were a common dish for Katie at home, but Ms. Doris could never make it as good as this one! The sauce was packed with all sorts of flavors and the meat had a hint of spice in it. 
"How's dinner?" Tymere asked. 
"Great!" Katie responded. "I wish I could have dinner here every night… but I think Ms. Doris would get mad if I'm not home much." 
"And she's your….?" 
"Foster parent, I guess. But I think she's less of a parent and more of a full time babysitter." 
"And how long have you been in her care." He asked. 
"My whole life." Katie said bluntly. 
"Do you mind if I ask what happened to your parents?" 
"If I knew, I'd tell you." Katie swallowed all those feelings of anger and sadness when she told this story. Why is it that people expect some tragic story about her parents, whoever they were, they just didn't want her, like everyone else. "I was just left on the steps of a hospital."
"I'm sorry," Said Tymere. "I didn't mean to pry." 
"It's fine." Katie replied. "But since you asked about my personal life, can I ask you something?"
"Sure go ahead."
"Where are your parents?" 
The siblings froze in place, only glancing at each other as if debating whether or not to speak. Katie nearly regretted asking the question, when Byssa let out a hearty chuckle. 
"Oh they're still in Florida. They sent me up here because I was causing too much trouble in school, said I was a bad influence on my younger siblings. So they thought if I lived with my military brother, I would come back more disciplined." A smirk curler upon her lips. "Too bad they didn't know that Tymere lets me do whatever I want." 
"That is not true." Tymere tried to say sternly, but a chuckle escaped from his lips. "Do not believe her." 
"Yeah, you do!" She waved him off.
"No, I just don't have as many rules as mom and dad!" 
Katie watched as their playful bickering went on, she couldn't help but feel at home here. All this time, Katie thought Byssa's home life was different from hers and in many ways, it still is. But knowing about her parents gave Katie some hope. Maybe she can still find joy in this world despite not having a family. 
~~~~
Later, Byssa ran up and showed Katie her room. The walls were painted purple, and had posters of metal bands plastered all over. A mess of clothes piled up by the closet. Now this is what Katie imagined Byssa's place would look like. 
"Sit on the bed, I have a surprise!" Byssa smiled. "And keep your eyes closed." 
Katie followed instructions. She could hear her friend rummaging through her closet for a moment before shuffling over to her and placing something that felt a stack of papers on her lap. 
Katie opened her eyes and gasped. Comics of Galactic Territories sat on her lap. "Is this the collector's edition?!"
"Yeah, Tymere got it for me when I moved here." She said. "But now, I'm giving it to you." 
"How did you even know I loved this series?" 
"I saw it poking out of your bag on day in class." Byssa reluctantly explained. "I didn't think anyone else liked that series." 
"I don't exactly advertise it to anyone." Katie admitted. 
"Yeah, the whole gay characters would have caused a riot back in my home town." Byssa let out a dry laugh. She looked back at Katie with a serious look on her face. "So you're still going to leave with Barrett to Jotunheim?" 
"Of course. The plan hasn't changed."
"Is there anything that would make you stay?" 
Katie pondered for a moment. Was there anything that could make her stay? "I guess if I suddenly got a new family, I would stay. But if I never got adopted as a kid, then I'm not getting adopted now." 
"Right…" Byssa averted her eyes. "I'm just going to really miss you when you go." 
Katie wasn't sure what to say; when she made this choice to leave this world, she expected no one would ever miss her. But then Byssa got involved and now if Katie left, she would be leaving her friend behind. She didn't want to stop seeing Barrett but she also didn't want to leave Byssa behind either. She just wanted to hang out with her only friends forever. "Why don't you come with me?"
Byssa gasped. "What?" 
"Yeah, let's leave this world behind!" Katie exclaimed. It was such a brilliant idea, she looked over at Byssa who had a bewildered look on her face, so Katie took her by the hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "It could just be the three of us going on adventures together in a new world. We could never have to deal with school or bullies or anything ever again. What do you say?" 
"Katie… I would love nothing more than to run away with you." Her hand slipped away from her grasp. "But I can't leave my brother, he's all I got." 
Katie suppressed a sigh. Of course it couldn't be that easy, of course in the last month Katie would be torn between her two friends. But she couldn't blame her friend for staying. She would probably stay too if she had someone to call family. 
~~~~~
Dusk was setting when Katie got home. She plopped on her rickety bed and began reading her new comic books. 
"Um… Katie?" 
Katie glanced up to see Maríana standing at the door. "What's up?" 
"Why aren't you here anymore?"
"Well, I have friends now, so now I don't have to come straight home anymore." 
"Yeah but I've seen you go into the woods before…" She looked behind her to make sure no one was around. "Isn't that where the monster lives?" 
"I was wrong about that, Marí." Katie chuckled. "There is nothing in the woods to be scared about." 
A loud ping scraped against the window causing the young girls to jump. Katie looked over to see a giant green eye glaring in the window. 
"Monst-!" Maríana began to scream out before Katie scrambled over to cover her mouth. 
"He's not a monster!" Katie hissed as she closed the door. "Stay here and be quiet!" 
Maríana nodded and kept her back to the door. Once Katie was sure she wouldn't scream, she released her from her grip and ventured over to Barrett with a million thoughts running through her head. 
The window opened up and Katie poked her head out to see Barrett bundled up in his camouflage with his arms crossed. "What are you doing here?!"
"You said we'd hang out today, where were you?" 
"I got sidetracked at Byssa's house today, I'm really sorry." Guilt washed over Katie, she can't believe she didn't keep her promise from yesterday. 
"Byssa," Barrett spat. "You're always hanging out with her now!" 
"She's my friend too." 
"Then why can't we all just hang out together in the woods?" His voice sounded like a desperate plea instead of anger. "Why go somewhere all the time?" 
She shrugged. "Well… it would be nice to enjoy some things on Earth before we go to Jotunheim." 
"Will you still even want to go to Jotunheim if you're having more fun here?" He snapped. 
"Of course I will! Why would you even think that?!"
"Because ever since Byssa found out we were leaving together, she always has a plan to not hang out in the woods!" 
Katie couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You're crazy!" 
"No I'm not!" He growled. 
Maríana whimpered from behind. Katie glanced over to see the little girl shaking like a leaf, tears formed in her brown eyes. She had been quiet as a mouse through this whole argument, but her fear was starting to take over, and if she cried anymore she would blow their cover.
"You need to leave!" Katie snapped. "You're scaring Maríana!" 
Katie turned her back and began walking away, thinking this conversation was over. But then she felt something pinch the back of her shirt and drag her towards the window. 
"Then maybe we should go somewhere private." 
Katie locked eyes with Maríana, who had pure terror plastered on her face. 
"Don't scream!" She ordered, she was being yanked out of her own home by an angry giant and her first thought was to make sure Marí didn't alert Ms. Dorris. "Whatever you do, don't tell anyone what happened!" 
She was now out of the window and dangling in midair, her stomach was doing flips when she glanced down. Barrett had never held her like this before but fortunately, the nauseating feeling went away once Barrett was kind enough to deposit Katie on his palm. Fingers curled around her until she was pinned in a loose fist. Once the disoriented trip was over, Barrett began heading to the woods, Katie looked back and saw Maríana peering out the window. 
"I'll be back by midnight!" Katie called out to her as her house disappeared in the distance. She hoped Maríana believed that because deep down in her gut, Katie did not believe her own words.